Confrontation by default and confrontation by design: strategic and institutional responses to Poland's populist coalition government. Issue 2 (23rd February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stanley, Ben
• Is Part Of: Democratization. Volume 23:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 263
• Page End: 282
• Publication Date: 2016-02-23
• Subjects: Poland -- populism -- party systems -- coalitions -- liberal democracy; Democracy -- Periodicals; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Democratization -- Periodicals; 321.8
• DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2015.1058782
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-0347

Abstract

Abstract : For a short and controversial period in 2006–2007, Poland was governed by a three-party "populist coalition" which attempted to break with the liberal-democratic model of post-communist transition and implement a far-reaching set of reforms. In this article, I analyse the ways in which domestic and external actors responded to the challenges posed by this coalition. I argue that Poland's Constitutional Court and the temporarily united opposition parties were key to repelling the populist challenge. However, the anti-populist response was driven less by a deliberate strategy than by the confrontational logic of populism itself, and the institutional design of Poland's liberal-democratic system. I conclude with a discussion of several lessons the Polish case holds for further analyses of anti-populist reaction.